Flathead wrestlers 5th at Tri-State

COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho — Flathead settled for fifth place at the Tri-State wrestling tournament on Saturday.

The Braves, the top AA ranked team in Montana, was a runner-up at this event last year and claimed the Tri-State title in 2007.

“The tournament is extremely tough, probably the toughest tournament in the Northwest,” Flathead coach Matt Owen said.

“I thought we went out there and competed hard. This was the type of tournament these guys needed.”

Flathead had two wrestlers — Joaquin Calderon (125) and Caleb Allen-Schmid (160) — compete in the semifinals, where both wrestlers lost.

“Both were good matches,” Owen said.

“Both were really tough kids (they lost to).”

Calderon was the team’s highest placer, finishing third. Allen-Schmid was sixth.

Also placing for Flathead were: Shawn Lau (140) and Conner Thomas (285), both were fourth, and Jeremiah Gaiser (145), who was seventh.

“You had to have a great tournament to place at this tournament,” Owen said.

“We had a pretty good team performance to finish in the top five.”